


Spirit Blossom

by SecretMirror



Category: League of Legends
Genre: Multi, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-03
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:53:34
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25696831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SecretMirror/pseuds/SecretMirror
Summary: You find yourself in the spirit realm, without any knowledge who you are or where you came from - and in front of you sits a Fox, ready to guide you through the world.The Prologue and the first Chapter of each Champion/Character is heavily based on the interactions and conversations you have with them while developing the Spirit Bonds in the Client. Anything afterwards is my own creation with the existing characters.Disclaimer: Cassiopeia may feel like crushing your bones.
Relationships: Ahri (League of Legends)/Reader, Cassiopeia (League of Legends)/Reader, Kindred (League of Legends)/Reader, Lillia (League of Legends)/Reader, Riven (League of Legends)/Reader, Thresh (League of Legends)/Reader, Vayne (League of Legends)/Reader, Yasuo (League of Legends)/Reader, Yone (League of Legends)/Reader
Comments: 16
Kudos: 56





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> The Prologue and the first Chapter of each Champion/Character is heavily based on the interactions and conversations you have with them while developing the Spirit Bonds in the Client.
> 
> All Characters except my own belong to League Of Legends/Riot Games.

The sound of waves broke into my consciousness, but I was still wrapped in darkness. I couldn’t hear any sound besides the water. Gentle wind came up, dancing around my body. And with it came a soft voice.  
“It’s time to wake up. Your time has come. Follow.”   
  


It seemed as if the wind blew away the darkness and light slowly found its way back to me. “Is someone there?”, I asked, confused and careful not to move. Silence. Followed by a whisper, almost drowned by the wind. “Follow..” I blinked a few times, to get used to the bright light.

Right in front of me sat a fox, staring directly into my eyes. It was white, reminding me of Snow. The soft blue and pink details and marks on the fur were hard to make out, it all seemed to be in a constant flow. Moving, changing, never resting. It had a pink ribbon around its neck, holding two giant bells, causing a gentle jingle whenever the Fox moved or the wind blew.

“Hm. You have a strange scent”, said the Fox, slightly tilting its head. I couldn’t smell anything, not even the water right behind me. “How did you get here? Are you lost?” Was I lost? I stared into the eyes, caught up in these ever moving waves of blue and pink. “I can’t remember”, I confessed with a quiet voice. There was nothing in my head, not a single memory. But there was no fear in my heart either, just uncertainty.

The eyes changed, as if It were amused by my confusion. “How intriguing!”, the Fox called out and continued right away, “Maybe you forgot on the way here. It happens to a lot of spirits. Though you seem different somehow.” There was no confusion behind the words or the voice. Was I a spirit? Or just dreaming? The feeling of the gentle wind, the sound of the bells and waves brought peace to my mind. It seemed so surreal. 

  
“Ah, well. Follow or don’t. It’s all part of the chase… in the end. And this is the end”, It said, tilting its head. It was definitely amused by now, but not because of my confusion. My existence brought this much joy. “Or is it the beginning? Who knows!”, It continued, deepening my confusion. What was this place? This Fox? Who was I?

“Hm? You look confused. Ask, so I might clarify.” Ask? But what? There was so much I wanted to ask, but what first? Who this Fox is? Who I was?

“Where am I?”, I finally asked. “Where aren’t you?” I doubt It took me seriously. Did It take anything serious? Or did I just ask the wrong thing?

Before I could ask another question, the Fox continued: “There are many spirits lingering here. Are you one of them? Only time will tell. Hm. Maybe you’re a spirit. Maybe you’re only lost. Nothing you know is for certain.” Nothing I knew? Every word from the Fox just deepened my confusion, as if I couldn’t understand anything. And I truly didn’t so far. 

A soft jingle of the bells directed my attention back to the Fox, away from the almost white sand underneath me. The eyes changed again - no amusement, no secrecy. It looked like… sympathy? Pity? I couldn’t tell for certain.

“Here, take this map.” The long tail moved right before my hands, brushed over the sand without any sound. It seemed more like fire than fur. And now, between my hands, laid a scroll. It seemed old, important.

“All kinds of spirits reside in these lands. Seek them out, and perhaps one can give you guidance.” Why couldn’t this Fox? It seemed to know a lot about this place, about spirits. About me. “But… how?”, I asked, unsure of myself, this situation. 

“When looking at the map, simply concentrate on the spirit you wish to find. Though I’d be careful. Not all of them are… well, you’ll find out on your own”, it said. The jingle of the bells sounded more like laughter this time. Was this amusing to the Fox?

“So, will you chase? Or will you follow? Hard to say. The choice is yours, stranger. Follow, or wander. Speak, or listen. Or simply do nothing at all.” Nothing? Just staying at this peaceful beach? Surrounded by soft wind, beautiful waves and the shine of light on the water's surface… “We’ll see what the spirits have in store for you…”, It whispered, barely getting through to my thoughts.

Without a sound the Fox jumped off the small stone it was sitting on, landing on the sand. “I’ll be seeing you, stranger… hee hee…”

The sound of the laughter finally snapped me out of my thoughts, as if it cast a stronger spell on me as the beach did. I blinked, looked around. 

The Fox was gone.

“Where am I?”


	2. Chapter 1 - Ahri, Spirit of Salvation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Strange... have you met her before?
> 
> Ahri, the Spirit of Salvation, guides you to her Shrine and offers to help you to find your way back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Prologue and the first Chapter of each Champion/Character is heavily based on the interactions and conversations you have with them while developing the Spirit Bonds in the Client.
> 
> All Characters except my own belong to League Of Legends/Riot Games.

When I opened my eyes again, I looked right inside the thicket of a forest. Tall trees with gigantic crowns above my head, beautiful flowers wherever I looked and soft grass underneath my feet. I didn’t remember how I got here or where I came from, but this place seemed serene. Motes of pure light drifted lazily through the tall grass and floated towards the crowns of the trees. Everything seemed peaceful and my thoughts became heavy, as if I was swimming deep in the ocean.

A gentle gust of wind hit me from behind, danced through the woods and leaves. And with it came a soft voice. “Hello, stranger.” I turned around.

There was a beautiful Fox sitting in the middle of some purple flowers, surrounded by motes of light. “I haven’t seen you before. Or maybe I have! Hard to say.” It tilted its head slightly, amused. There was no fear in my heart, just a strange feeling of… recognition? “Tell me, why do you wander?”, It asked and took a step closer towards me.

“Are you lost, perhaps? Go ahead, speak. There’s no shame in being honest.” The words sounded so soft, so understanding. And with a slight hint of amusement.

“I’m lost”, I admitted. But I was lost in multiple ways and something told me that this Fox knew exactly what I meant with my simple words. “... How interesting!”, It exclaimed excitedly. Confused, I tilted my head slightly.

“You’re not a spirit… or are you? Your scent is different somehow. And the way you talk… How did you get here, stranger?”, the Fox asked. My scent? Where did I hear this before? 

How did I get there? The forest? I can’t remember. Or? Maybe… “I was looking for someone.” Or was I?

The Fox grinned, as if it could read my thoughts. Feel my confusion, my doubts. “Many spirits walk these woods, searching for old friends and lost loves.” Was I doing that? Did I lose someone? Did I forget someone so important to me?

“But the day is long, and the sun is warm, and soon they all forget. That is the nature of this place”, the Fox explained. Worry overwhelmed my Confusion. This place? The forest or this realm? Something else? “Oh, don’t worry. None of them mind. They’re much happier now. Otherwise they’d all be demons. Hee hee”, It giggled. Were demons funny? Or was I?

“Hmm. Why don’t you follow me, stranger? I’ll lead you to safety”, the Fox offered. There was no malice behind its words, it was just what it was. A simple offering. “Or you can stay here forever. It’s up to you! But don’t take too long deciding. You might just start to forget yourself. Hee hee.” There was nothing to forget in the first place. Or did I already forget?

The Fox ran off ahead, waiting at the edge of the forest path. It beckoned me to follow.

* * *

I’ve followed the Fox out of the woods and immediately lost it in the tall grass. I was walking for quite some time already. But I still didn’t know where I was. Or who I was. I could see an old shrine in the distance. That would make a good place to stop and rest a while.

The shrine was built with mossy stones, grey wood and in the middle of cherry blossom trees. Small lanterns with white candles were spread out, some being lit and burning with blue flames. Stone gates above the path, statues between the stones and trees. The moment I sat down on one of the empty stones, the Fox appeared on another.

“There you are, stranger. I was hoping I’d find you again. Oh, are you wondering about this shrine?”, It asked and looked over its shoulder. The shrine was on a small mountain, the path going up underneath some old stone gates. “I’m told it’s very important. Legends say a beautiful woman appears before the souls of the dying, and beckong them to their eternal peace. They say she takes the form of a fox. You wouldn’t know anybody like that, would you?”, It asked, playful. 

“Are you…?” - “I am.”

The Fox went up in blue flames and cherry blossoms danced around it, as if there was wind guiding them. Within a blink of an eye, the Fox was gone.

“Ah, much better! I don’t mind being a fox so much, but I much prefer this form”, the woman said, smiling and playing with her pink hair. I couldn’t help but stare. Instead of one flaming tail, she now had nine. But the flames were gone and just fur, blue as the sky, was left. “What? Were you expecting something more… Monstrous? Hee hee”, she giggled and her smile grew bigger. Her voice somehow reminded me of the soft wind, carrying the sounds of the bells.

“No spirit would follow a fox demon into the afterlife. At least not willingly. But me? They’ll follow me. You can call me Ahri, by the way”, said the woman and put one hand on her hip. “I’m this world’s spirit of salvation. Don’t worry about me helping you out of these woods… It’s just what I do!” She seemed happy and proud, even though we immediately lost each other the moment we left the forest path. Or did I? It seems I was exactly where she wanted me to be.

“I did have a question for you, though… Are you sure you don’t remember how you got here? Nothing at all?”, Ahri asked, with curiosity in her voice.

My thoughts were slow, as if I was diving deep under the ocean's surface. Pressure in my head, my heart. I closed my eyes, thinking in darkness and silence.

“I remember a bright light…”, I said, slowly. 

Ahri looked at me for a moment, tilting her head. The little bells underneath her fox ears jingled softly with the movement. “A bright light? Hmmm. I’ve heard of that before, but…”, she whispered, more speaking to herself. I wondered to how many spirits, souls and demons she talked to in her lifetime. Maybe we talked before and we both just forgot about it? Or maybe just I did.

She was silent for quite some time, thinking. “Well, either way, you’re here now. And if I can’t tell if you’re alive or dead, we might have a real problem on our hands. You’re the problem, for clarity’s sake”, Ahri said. I wanted to say something, but her eyes focused on mine and I forgot the words I wanted to speak. There was a sad expression, hidden deep within her eyes. “Did you know people used to flock this shrine? In the real world, they tell fables of the fox that guides souls to the afterlife. But here, time doesn’t flow the same way it does for humans. We’re defined by the lives and deaths of mortals, but nothing around us ever ages or changes…”, she explained, with a hint of sadness in her voice. Was it because people didn’t come to her shrine anymore? Or because her immortality was just a burden for her, not a gift? I didn’t understand why she told me all of these things.

“It’s always today, yesterday, and tomorrow. Last year and next year. Winter, summer, spring, and fall. People like you live, and one day die. But just like the world itself, the spirits keep existing. The same way we always have. Just like this old shrine here! Do you think they got my good side?”, Ahri asked, pointing at the fox statue between two trees close to us. I answered her truthfully, but slightly confused: “That’s a very handsome fox.”

She smiled, as if her thoughts were far away, surrounding something else than this statue. “It is, isn’t it? My side profile is very striking”, she said, sounding so far away. Ahri shook her head softly, the bells jingling. “The reason I’m telling you this… is that if you’re supposed to be alive right now, you can’t stay here for long. Years will go by in days. Decades in years. By the time you’ve returned, your whole world will have changed. And if my hunch is right, you’ll only be the first. That is, if you’re not dead. Which you still might be. No conclusive answer there yet”, she explained further and finally I understood. Panic, Fear and a weird feeling of loss overcame me. How long was I in this realm already? Days? Did I really lose years? I could feel tears forming in my eyes. Before one could fall down onto the earth, Ahri took a step closer.

Her assuring smile brought calmness and peace to my mind, as if I were finally emerging from the darkness of the ocean. A soft breeze picked up cherry blossoms, whirled around and in between us. As if the wind itself wanted to calm my feelings.

“... I’m going to check on something. But I still don’t know you very well… so here’s what I’ll ask. The souls of the dead are starting to get… misdirected? I’m not sure your kind has a word for it. They’re not going to their appointed place in the afterlife. In fact, I’m not seeing some of them at all. I need you to find some of those lost souls and guide them to my shrine. I’ll handle the rest. If you can do that, I’ll help you get home”, she offered. Did she think I could find lost souls, because I was one myself? It made sense to me. And her offer seemed generous, without a hook. She wouldn’t put me in danger, that would mean she would also put the other lost ones in danger.

“And if not”, Ahri said, interrupting my thoughts, “well… I guess we’ll be seeing a lot more of each other. Hee hee.” It sounded tempting for some reason. Did I want to stay with her? She gave me a last smile, before vanishing into the tall grass and going her way.

The gentle breeze of wind delivered her last words, barely anything more than a whisper. “At least before you turn into a demon…” It sounded like a prediction, promise and apprehension in one.

* * *

For some reason I could think more clearly now. I didn’t lose the path, I didn’t forget my task or the way back. Deep in thoughts I collected souls wherever I found them. Underneath the surface of ponds, hidden between the tall grass, dancing in the wind. The sun had barely moved on the sky, but I was sure I spent hours, if not days collecting souls. Time really meant nothing in this realm.

When I returned to Ahri’s shrine, I saw that she was not alone. She talked with a masked girl, rather serious. The moment I came close enough to hear their conversation, they stopped and Silence fell over the two.

Ahri’s expression seemed slightly angry, deep in thought and worried. “Hm, that’s not good. That’s not how the game is played at all.” Her voice cheered me up. What were she checking on? That girl?

“Who is….”, I spoke quietly, but even that sound seemed way too loud for the masked girl. She flinched and ran off in the blink of an eye. Vanished in between the tall grass, left no trace. Ahri attempted to stop her, but her words, “Hey, wait!”, had no way of reaching that girl. The wind did not help her this time.

“Wow, they’re fast. I don’t think I can catch up. Oh well! I heard everything I needed.” Ahri smiled, causing me to smile back at her. “Everything about what?”, I asked, holding the souls I gathered tight. They could wait a moment longer.

“We’ll get to that in a moment. Which could be a year for you! Or a hundred years! Hee hee. I’m kidding, of course. Maybe. I don’t really understand how time works”, Ahri said, her laugh resonating through my body. Earlier, worry and fear overcame me when she mentioned that my life could go on and be over without me. But now, nothing. I just felt calm in her presence. I wondered if she did it on purpose. Her eyes fell on my arms, tightly holding the many souls to my chest.

“What I do know is that you’ve guided a lot of spirits to the afterlife. I asked you to do it, but still I’m happy you decided to lend them a hand. Most spirits who don’t make it to their proper places are overcome with mortal obsessions. They lose themselves in pain and rage. Some become demons. But more importantly, they lose their chance to find peace. Sometimes forever. When that happens, I…”, she explained, all while smiling softly. At the end, her expression became sad again.

A moment went by. Ahri’s sad smile brought sadness upon me, but I didn’t know what to say to make her happy again. “I’m sorry for tricking you before. I couldn’t be sure what your intentions were. But I can see now that you’re good at heart. I’m... grateful for your help”, she said, offering me her hands.

With a soft smile, I gave her all the souls I found. The purple flames danced on her hands, around her arms and wrapped around her, formed an aura of colour and power. Ahri moved her head slightly. A breeze came by and accompanied with the jingle of her little bells, the souls went their way through the stone gates of the shrine. I was sure they couldn’t see me, but I waved them goodbye nonetheless. A light feeling of loss came into my heart.

“I’m grateful for you, too.”, I said, smiled and watched the Souls disappear with the wind. She giggled. “Don’t let it get to your head! Now where were we? Ah, right…” We both sat down on one of the mossy stones and the bottom of the hill. The cherry blossoms fell down to the ground and ever so often a soft breeze whirled them up and offered a beautiful spectacle. 

“The Spirit Blossom Festival”, Ahri said, bringing my attention back to her. “Every year, the mortal realm celebrates the evening when the veil between the spirit realm and the mortal plane is thinnest. Some strange things occur, but nothing too out of the ordinary… until this year. Something has thrown the balance between the realms off. An influx of spirits is pouring through, and that has earned the attention…”, she explained slowly, making sure I would understand the severity. She knew it was hard for me to concentrate in this realm therefore. But the more time I spent with her, the clearer I could think and remember. Was it her? Or did the forest and beach make me forget? “... of Thresh.”

The name seemed familiar, but I couldn’t place it anywhere. My thoughts were empty, yet I recognized it from somewhere. “Thresh?” Even saying the name made me feel something. Maybe something from the mortal realm? Stories, Legends? I couldn’t remember. Ahri watched me think about him, gathering words to explain his existence without leaving me with more questions.

“A powerful lord of souls, known as the Spirit of Obsession. When people die, I guide their spirits to the other side. But all along the way, Thresh tempts them. Many lose their way. But that’s supposed to happen. Even Thresh has his place in here”, Ahri said. Her words were carefully chosen. She wouldn’t intervene if a tempted soul decided to leave the path. Would I be tempted? Would I be able to resist? Would I even want to resist?

“This year, Thresh has been siphoning spirits into his lantern without me there to lead them to safety. Normally I could stop him myself. But for some reason my magic has been greatly diminished. I can’t face him like this. I know I was playing games with you before, but I’m going to ask for your help again”, Ahri explained, her voice sounding slightly desperate. How much of her magic was gone? I nodded, silently assuring her my help.

“Free the demon spirits from their obsessions. With more souls guided to their proper places, I might be able to fight back against Thresh.” How would I even manage that? Demons? Ahri seemed to sense my doubts and thoughts, and tried to find a way to explain it to me. To guide me through the task. But there was nothing she could tell me.

She sighed, continuing with her explanation: “And there’s another reason we need to hurry. Your form, whatever you might be, can’t stay here forever. With the balance thrown off like this, you could easily become trapped in limbo. Doomed to wander the spirit realm for all eternity.” 

“I’d be trapped here, forever?” - “Forever.”

Ahri looked at me, a sad smile on her lips, as if she knew what I would feel if it would happen to me. “You would never see your friends or family again. Even when they passed on, you’d be unable to communicate with them in this form”, she explained. Her voice sounded calming. She took my fear and let the wind take it away. The soft breeze flew rustling through the trees, taking cherry blossoms with it. Was that her magic?

“We’ll deal with Thresh… together. Then we free the demon spirits. There’s something about you, stranger. I can’t quite put my finger on it. Maybe you’re someone I can really rely on”, Ahri said, smiling. Her trust warmed my heart. Our eyes met and I felt like I was losing myself in the colours.

“Well, get moving!”, Ahri loudly said, ripping me out of the trance, “The game is on, and those spirits won’t free themselves!” Excitedly she quickly made her way down the hill and vanished in the high grass.  
  


* * *

I made my way down the hill alone, the shrine slowly vanishing in the clouds behind me. The wind in my back whirled some cherry blossoms up into the air, it seemed like a goodbye for now.

Time and Distance meant nothing in this realm. 

I joined Ahri, who was sitting on a big stone at the riverbank, alongside the lantern-lit river that seemed to lead where we needed to go. Fireflies danced above the surface. It was beautiful.

“Hello, stranger. Thanks for meeting me here”, she said, waving and jumping off the stone. “I can feel some of my strength returning”, Ahri continued, her ears twitching from the excitement in her voice, “That’s because of you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.” Her smile was genuine, but shortly after she spoke her thanks, her attitude changed. Concern showed on her face and with a serious voice, she continued: “We’ll need all my power to defeat Thresh.”

Defeat another Spirit? Could she do that? And what would happen? Her concern and seriousness made me uneasy. 

“Are you alright?”, I asked, my voice almost drowning in the sound of nature around us.

Her smile slipped for a moment, but returned to the softness rather quickly. Slowly Ahri confessed: “I’m a little worried. A little.” I smiled as well, trying to cheer her up without speaking. But her gaze was locked onto the light in the distance. “This is Thresh’s temple. He reigns from here as a lord of all spirits, which he considers his ‘children’”, she explained. I still had this feeling of knowing his name from somewhere. A memory from a lifetime ago. So far away.

“He’ll be at the height of his power. Maybe even more so. It’s strange. For us spirits, there’s no end, or even beginning. We always were, and always will be. But if that’s the case… Why am I so filled with anticipation? Ever since I led you out of the forest, it seems like I’m feeling more and more... “, Ahri ranted, nervously walking up and down the riverbank. Ever since me? Did I weaken her? Was her struggle my fault? Her rant became quieter the longer she spoke and I almost overheard her last words: “...hm, human? That can’t be right.” I made her feel human? She made it sound like it was a bad thing. But maybe it was, I knew nothing about this realm and the power Ahri usually held.

She sighed, tightened her shoulders and smiled, but there was a trace of pain in her face. “I’ve never had to do this before”, she explained to me, “My role is to play one part of a larger game. Being the hero doesn’t suit me, does it?” She seemed insecure. What words did she want to hear from me? Nothing appropriate for this situation came to my mind.

I simply smiled back and said: “Don’t give up”.

Ahri nodded, seemed deep in her thoughts and at the same time right with me. “You’re right. I can’t give up. Not when the fate of the spirit realm rests on my shoulders.” Her words seemed a bit dramatic for me, but what did I know? It could very well be how she says it is. This realm functioned very differently… Different to what? Where did I come from? My thoughts almost escaped, but a soft touch on my shoulder brought me back.

She looked concerned, directly into my eyes. “Before we face Thresh, a word of warning: he is not what he appears. I don’t have the full range of my powers yet, either. He’ll have the advantage.” Was the Fox her natural form then? What would Ahri look like if she had access to her full power? Ahri’s giggle brought me back from my thoughts, again. Her worried attitude quickly changed to a cheerful one, even excited about what would happen next. “Isn’t it exciting? The spirit realm, the mortal world, an obsessed king. I bet things like this don’t happen very often where you’re from! Ah, but what am I saying? We’d have to lose for anything bad to happen. Hee hee.” She sounded so excited, yet so nervous. Weird, how she could fit two very different emotions into her voice and expressions.

“You ready, stranger? Once we go in, there’s no turning back.” - “Let’s do this.”

We both took a deep breath, preparing ourselves for what laid before us. “Then let the chase begin!”, Ahri growled and went up in flames. She was back in her Fox form.

We entered the temple without any sound, being as quiet as possible. Silence made me feel uncomfortable, but Ahri’s presence eased my feelings and gave me confidence. She could claim back the souls, I was sure of that.

Thresh’s voice was deep, resonating deep within my very being. It reminded me of something... something I couldn’t place anywhere in my mind. And he spoke directly to me. “Hm? Well, this is a surprise. My extended family. I couldn’t have asked for more. But you’re not here all by your lonesome, are you? No, of course not”, he snarled, clearly understandable, even through the golden mask covering his face. My movements slowed down, as if I were walking through mud. And Ahri - I couldn’t see her anywhere near me.

“Come out, little fox. I know you’re near”, Thresh growled, not facing away from me. I could feel his eyes on me, through the mask. As if he would stare directly at my soul. Through cloth and flesh. I heard a shocked squeal behind me - was that Ahri?

“I sense you’re worried about all those poor spirits. They’re so lost and confused, without anyone to guide them home. Someone had to step in. Truly, I’m doing them all a service. Would you agree?”, Thresh explained. His voice seemed deeper than before, directly in my head. It felt as if my heart was vibrating from every word he spoke. Words formed in my mind, without thinking, I slowly answered him: “... Yes, father…”

Another squeak behind me: “Don’t listen to him!”. I felt flames against my back. But no pain or heat touched me. Did Ahri hide in my shadow? Thresh didn’t pay Ahri any attention and didn’t move at all. He held his hand out to me.

“Of course you agree. Why not abandon your silly little game? I could watch over you as well, if you wish…”, he offered, his voice dancing in my mind. There was a change deep within me, I became aware of… something. My soul?

I heard my voice, crying out. “Help me…” Who was I talking to? Did I mean Ahri? Or was I accepting his offer? Before I could move my hand, something behind me changed. Thresh stopped in his movement, his hand dropped. The offer was gone.

“Leave them alone!” Ahri’s voice sounded… different. More powerful, with heat. And filled with anger. She made a step forward, finally coming into my view. She changed. Her pink hair was now white as snow, going over into blue flames surrounding her entire upper body. Some stray flames were dancing around, one directly above her head. Her nails turned into claws and her nine tails were on fire. The blue colour reminded me of the beach’s sky. She smiled, showing sharp and long canines. Her eyes were fixed on Thresh, but I could clearly see the change in colour. The waves of pink and blue were gone, replaced by pure gold. And Ahri looked angry. She growled, giving her threat more significance. “Or I’ll end the chase right now.” Thresh seemed shocked, clearly not expecting her transformation. 

Waves of power reached me, combined with soft touches of her flames. Licking over my skin, getting rid of the mud and shielding me from Thresh’s magic.

But instead of showing fear, he started laughing. “My, my, Spirit of Salvation! It seems you’ve a very low opinion of me. I was simply standing in while you were away. Now that you’ve reclaimed your true self, I’ll of course return to my ordained duties.” Was it that easy? A simple threat of Ahri was enough?

“Not so fast, Thresh. The spirits you led astray… I want them freed. Now”, Ahri insisted. The last word more a growl. He clearly hoped she would forget about them. “Hngh. Very well”, Thresh agreed. His lantern looked mad, but obliged and opened its mouth. Souls, looking more like fog, flowed out and rather quickly flew away. Into the night sky.

“But this game has rules, Ahri, and we must abide by them”, Thresh warned, sounding more amused. His voice didn’t reach me anymore, the temptation of letting go was gone. Was all of this just a game for him? And was it the same for Ahri? “All the spirits will be freed. But each must find their own way home. And when they become lost, I will be there for them.” His eyes fell on me, I could feel it. Was he explaining this for me? Speaking directly to me? His words… somehow sounded like a promise.

“As will I”, Ahri threw in, looking determined. All of this looked and felt so much easier than I thought. I was expecting a fight between them.

Thresh nodded, his lantern spitting out the last soul. “Excellent. Then our business here is concluded. I’ll be on my way… do make yourselves at home.” Again, his words seemed to be directed to me, while speaking to both of us. An invite to stay at his temple? Before I could think more about it, the rattling of the closing doors brought me back from my thoughts. Ahri was already in her normal form again.

“...Whew. Glad that’s over. This power, though… how was I able to reclaim it?”, she loudly wondered, looking at her nails. The claws were gone and even her eyes turned back into the beautiful mess of pink and blue waves. Ahri seemed to be deep in thought, more talking to herself. She shook her head, the little bells on her ears happily jingling. “Was it… you? I need to think for a while”, she decided after some time. Ahri sighed. “There are spirits that need my attention. Meet me soon, alright? I have a feeling we’ll have a lot to talk about.” Before I could answer her, flames flared up and a Fox jumped out of the temple. 

I was alone, sitting on the steps in front of the Temple and watching the lanterns on the river. Their light was something between green and purple, reminding me of the candles at Ahri’s shrine with their blue flames. I still didn’t understand what just happened - Ahri made it sound like she needed to seriously fight for the souls and maybe she would have, if her power didn’t come back to her? She shielded me from Thresh’s influence, contradicting her words from earlier. I was tempted and instead of letting me go, she held onto me, shielding me from temptation. 

Was it really me that gave her back this power? And was it really her, that freed me from this strange feeling of swimming deep underneath the surface? Or was it merely the distance between me and that strange beach and forest? Since I left those behind, my mind became clearer with each passing moment - besides the direct influence of Thresh, his display of control and power. I would need to ask her to be completely sure, but how would I even bring up all of this? And would she answer truthfully?

In the end it would barely matter, I needed to leave this realm. But for now, I needed to leave the temple behind and find my way back to her shrine. 

* * *

At her shrine, the wind started to push me. Guiding me through the forest, back to the Beach. The soft breeze was gentle and patient with me. I could already feel her presence - just as I did back in the temple. She was using her rediscovered power.

I approached her quietly, while Ahri was talking to another spirit. A soul, no longer lost.

“So this is it…”, said the soul, sounding like an old man. His voice reminded me of someone. Someone from a long time ago, very far away. A kind soul, love and compassion within. Ahri’s voice sounded comforting, filled with compassion and emotion. “Yes. This is the end of our journey, little wanderer. You can finally rest.” She knew I was there, but didn’t split her attention. 

“I remember being sick for a long time…”, the old man said, thinking and struggling to remember. Was this what happened to me? “... but it’s all starting to fade. My family, will they come to visit me?”, he asked, with pain in his voice. He missed them so much, even though he already forgot who they were. “One day, maybe”, Ahri said with a soft voice, “But that will be their choice to make. For now, be free. Nothing can hurt you anymore.” She couldn’t promise things out of her control, but this didn’t even seem to reach the old man anymore. His voice sounded distant, as if he started to forget himself too. “Ahhh… thank you… kind fox… “, he spoke, slowly. Every word more quieter than the other, soon fading into the sounds of the waves. The blue soul lit up and then vanished entirely. He was gone.

Ahri giggled, satisfied with herself. “Ah, I almost forgot!” My eyes moved just in time to catch the last flames of her transformation. She turned back into her more human form, with the pretty pink hair and her beautiful eyes. “Much better! It feels good to be myself again”, she sighed and was visibly relaxing. She was beautiful.

I smiled. “I love all your forms.” She blushed immediately, shaking her head slightly and making the small bells jingle softly. “Stranger! I’m blushing! I’m a very important spirit, you know! Flattery won’t get you special treatment in the spirit world!”, she giggled amused. “I’m just kidding. It will.” My smile got wider. Before she continued speaking, she pointed at two stones on the beach where we could relax for a while, watching the waves.

“The spirits rely on me, so I need access to my full power. You’ve helped restore that. You’ve helped restore me. That’s not something I’d expect from a mortal. Especially a mortal who didn’t come here on purpose”, she explained. Apparently I looked rather surprised, as Ahri followed up with, “Oh, is that a surprise? Is it a big revelation? You’re not supposed to be here yet, stranger”, right away. Of course she was right. I doubt any mortal would like to be in this realm and I didn’t even see most of it yet. Ahri continued, after getting my attention again. “I found out while you were away. Not that I mind, of course. … Do you know where we are right now?”, she asked, her gaze wandering to the glittering water.

“A beach?”, I asked, feeling a bit dumb. There wasn’t much else this place could be. “Ooo, close!”, she exclaimed, smiling. A bit confused I took another look, but couldn’t see anything else than the white sand underneath our feet, the clear water, the blue sky and the forest in the distance behind us.

“This is a special place where spirits go to feel at ease after a nice, long life. It’s also where the souls of mortals first arrive! Just like you once did. What I’m saying, stranger, is that I feel at ease around you. And not just because you helped restore balance in the spirit realm! You’ve helped me. And you’ve helped a lot of people cross over into a pleasant afterlife. They’ll never know you did it, but I will. No one’s ever helped me like that before. Isn’t that interesting, stranger?”, she ranted, blushing quite a lot while talking. She seemed nervous, for the first time since we met.  
  
“I should stop calling you stranger, shouldn’t I? What would you prefer?”, Ahri asked. She knew I didn’t remember my name, but I didn’t have the feeling she asked for this piece of information. “Aren’t we more than friends?”, I asked, tilting my head slightly. Her cheeks went from a soft pink to a bright red and she loudly gasped.

Her face became red like the sunrise and the colourful waves in her eyes fell into a beautiful chaos. “I’m glad you feel that way. … I wish you could stay here with me”, Ahri whispered, immediately starting to shake her head and letting the bells jingle. “But that’s not in the cards! No, you have to go back. Otherwise you’ll mess up the balance, and we’ll have to face Thresh all over again! And the next time could very well end up with a serious fight…! I’m not doing this for fun, you know! Some of us have jobs!”, Ahri said, clearly trying to convince herself to let me go. The sound of the waves and the feeling of the warm sun on my skin created a heavy feeling, dragging me down like sleep. I didn’t wish to return… yet.

“But it’s been…”, Ahri said with a soft voice, drawing my attention back to her, “... wonderful, getting to know you. When the time comes - hopefully not too soon - I’ll be the one to shepherd you home. Home being here, of course! With me!” She shouted the last words, clearly struggling to say them. There was something deep within me and something broke, flooding my heart and my body with a warm feeling. “And thousand of other spirits in the afterlife, but who’s counting?”, she giggled under her breath and smiled, with a hint of sadness. Would we part our ways now?

Ahri sighed, played with a strand of her hair and looked behind me, into the ocean. “For now, though, we need to get you back to the mortal realm. I’m not sure… how… to do it quite yet, but I’m not a quitter!”, she confessed with a burning determination in her voice. Her hand touched my shoulder, softly, barely noticeable. “Plus I’m at my full power again. I’m sure I can think of something”, Ahri promised. Her assurance was everything I needed. Our eyes met and the colourful waves mesmerized me. As if Ahri had the ocean in her eyes, connected to her ever changing soul. “Ah! Almost forgot!” She pulled something small out of her hidden pocket, nicely wrapped up in blue and pink cloth. Confused, I tilted my head.

“I have a little something for you. You can take this back with you to the mortal world. Think of it as a token of our time together…”, Ahri explained, putting the little wrapped gift gently into my open hand. Her next words were just a soft whisper, a promise just between us. “And maybe as a token of our future.”

It was a golden coin, engraved with a bell. “I’ll be waiting for the moment we’ll meet again, once I return”, I said, promising her. She giggled.

“You’re a strange one, str… I mean, friend. One day you’ll have to tell me your name. But for now, I suppose friend will do” she said. One day… far in the future, sooner for me than for her. She would be here for another eternity, while I would be spending my last years in the mortal realm. But the promise of meeting each other again was all we needed. She grabbed my hand and squeezed it slightly, to bring me back from my thoughts, “Luckily, we’ll have a lot of time to get to know each other… After you’ve died, of course. Peacefully!”, Ahri said with a stern voice. I would miss her and this realm. Maybe I would forget about this encounter once I returned to the mortal realm?

“Well, I should be on my way! Spirits to sheperd, vague riddles to espouse, all that good spirit fox stuff. It was nice getting to know you, friend. Don’t be a stranger!”, she giggled and let go of my hand. A strong gust of wind hit us, whirling her long hair and blocking my view. The jingle of the bells dancing in the air.

Ahri kissed me gently on the check. The feeling of her touch disappearing as fast as it appeared. She vanished, together with the wind. All I could hear was the waves of the ocean behind me and her beautiful giggle. The night had come.

d come.


	3. Chapter 2 - Lillia, Spirit of Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eep! 
> 
> Ahri's Map brings you to a mysterious forest and you meet a Fawn, scared and tortured by her past...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Prologue and the first Chapter of each Champion/Character is heavily based on the interactions and conversations you have with them while developing the Spirit Bonds in the Client.
> 
> All Characters except my own belong to League Of Legends/Riot Games.

Ahri’s map was easy to use - a gentle touch, a silent thought and the wind brought me to where I needed to be. The barely noticeable warmth of the beach and the sound of the waves vanished, making way for the smell of an old forest and the song of the cicadas.

I was in the middle of a clearing, surrounded by gently swaying trees. The forest seemed strangely familiar, calming my alarmed senses. But the feeling of being watched only grew stronger with each second.

“Hello?”, I yelled into the thicket, waiting. At the sound of my voice the trees lurched back, revealing… a girl? “So loud…”, she complained. She was half fawn, white like the Snow and carrying a wooden Staff. The attached censer fumed with purple smoke, surrounding her and climbing high into the treetops. She squeaked the moment she realized I was watching her more closely. She seemed lost in her thoughts, losing focus again. “Eep?”, I asked, imitating her squeak. “Eep! S… sorry”, she squeaked, falling into silence and losing her thoughts again. She seemed just as lost as I was.

“Listen, I…”, I started, but she interrupted me and my thoughts right away. “I… I’m listening…”, she claimed and brought again Silence between us. Was she scared of me? “Why are you wearing clothes?” What? I looked down on me - until now, I didn’t even realize. I had a body and it was covered in a snow white robe. She continued: “The souls here do not need them. Are you- are you alive?!” Now she definitely seemed scared of me. But was I alive? It looked like nobody knew, not Ahri, nor me. “I understand wanting to hide… sometimes behind trees, sometimes in ribbons and silk… If you don’t need your clothes, it would maybe… possibly… perhaps… help me if you could set them aside. I-I do need your help, but… oh, don’t be alive, don’t say they’re alive…”, she ranted to herself, her voice sounding uneasy and with every second she fell deeper into panic.

“Haven’t you met a spirit wearing clothes? You’re wearing clothes”, I said, trying to make my voice sound as soft as possible. She smiled, as if she completely forgot about her clothes. “Good point!”, the Fawn said, turning her gaze to another soul. A single flame between the flowers. “Are you wearing clothes, human soul?”, she asked, still smiling. “Nah. I’m kinda just hangin’ out”, the flame said, sounding a bit confused. “S-see…”, the Fawn said, pointing at the flame with her Staff. A long sigh built up inside me. “When in the Spirit Realm, I guess…” To my relief it turned out I had multiple layers of soft cloth underneath the robe. I undressed myself enough to make the spirit feel comfortable.

She squeaked again, jumping over some brushes and vanishing in the forest. I followed her, leaving my clothes behind. It slowly occured to me that this might be a bad idea.

* * *

The surrounding forest lost all it’s detail as I chased the fawn spirit. How long was I running already? It must have taken a very long time, but what did a mortal know about time in the spirit realm. Roots beneath my feet grew more and more tangled, as if the forest itself wanted to slow me down, make me fall with my next step. Before that could happen, the forest finally opened in another clearing. And she was waiting for me.

She looked to the ground, clinging to her Staff. “You found me”, she whispered, though I could not tell if she was sad about it or not. “You don’t seem very happy to see me”, I said, catching my breath with every word. How long were I really running? “Oh, h-human!”, she squeaked, as if she hadn’t noticed me until now, “Not you, you. I was talking to the trees… No matter where I go, the dreams of these woods find me. I had to come back.” Now her voice definitely sounded sad, filled with pain. The grass was dead, the sky and clouds looked like rain was imminent. And all the trees were burned. “They’re all burnt. What happened here?”, I asked, taking a step closer to one of the grey trees and softly touching the burned bark. “This forest - my forest - it’s a reflection of one in your world. One where I was the shrine spirit, the fawn of flowers”, she explained and took a deep through. Her voice sounded shaky and I turned around just in time to see her start crying. “Everyone.. They burned…!” She squeaked, the fumes of her censer flaming up and smoke filled the entire clearing. I coughed.

A scream, loud and roaring, came from in between some trees. Accompanied with the sound of falling trees, screaming children and fire cracking through dry wood. Memories, Thoughts, Dreams - they all came crashing into the clearing, together with the burning warrior. More screams followed. The fawn cried, I screamed for help. The warrior took a step forward, barely touching the grey grass. His scream echoed in my mind: “Burn!” And the moment his foot touched the grass, he was gone. Together with the pain and chaos.

Silence and the sound of the forest came back into my consciousness. A slight touch on my shoulder. “Don’t be afraid”, the Fawn said, smiling softly. She still had tears in her eyes. “The trees are having a nightmare, that’s all”, she explained, moving away from me and looking to the trees where the warrior once was, “Sometimes in their dreams… they remember. The night the forest burned. The trees aren’t trees, human. They’re everyone. Every plant, and furry little creature, and person in my forest who was lost. They won’t stop dreaming… They’re trapped here now. Lost in obsession.” I blinked and it felt as if I finally could see the forest clearly. Faces in the trees, arms instead of branches. Tears instead of resin. And everything was grey, dead. Long gone.

“That’s why I need your help. I know it’s hard to understand. But help us, and we’ll help you in kind…”, the Fawn asked, despair in her voice. “You are so strange, human. In many ways. I counted them on my fingers… then my tail. I’ll show you, if you trust me. And… I’ll try to trust you”, she continued, taking a deep breath.

“My name is… It’s Lillia…” - “Lillia?” - She squeaked in horror.

“They’ve come for me! They’re yelling my name! The end has finally arrived! What will become of my forest? What’s happening, human? I can’t see anything! Oh, I’m closing my eyes… better open them a wink. Is it a demon? Don’t be a demon. Is it… Did, ah. Did you say my name just now?”, she screamed and rambled, all while jumping around. If her fear wasn’t so tangible, I would have laughed. She seemed just as lost as I was. And… the end finally arriving? Finally? I nodded to her last question, deep in thoughts. Something was wrong, besides the dreaming forest and the scared Fawn. “Oh! In that case, nothing to worry about. Just a wee fright when you spoke it. It’s hard to hear sometimes. I get reminded of the old shrine…”, she said, explaining her reaction. Her voice became more quieter with every word, as if she was losing herself in thoughts again.

I cleared my throat, smiling when Lillia finally looked at me again. “Ah. Follow me. B-but not too closely. We’re going to face Death…”, she said, not really sounding convinced. Death? She spoke as if it was not a thing, but a person. Before I could say anything, she was already leaving the clearing. There was no other choice than to follow her or stay.

* * *

We returned to the forest, just outside the grove. Lillia was prancing just a little bit faster whenever I came closer. She was silent the whole time, but not deep in thoughts. It seemed more like daydreaming.

“So… you like prancing?”, I jokingly asked. Her eyes lit up. “I do! Give it a whirl, see it it takes you”, she said, dancing around me. I tried to follow her steps, but her advantage of four feet against my two was clear. “That’s… not how to prance. Though it is adorable. Try, I don’t know, leaping a bit more? You may need to work on it.” Never thought I would learn how to dance in the spirit realm and that my teacher would be a Spirit in the shape of a Fawn. Her smile didn’t fade when she continued to talk: “I-I want you to know, human, that… I am very grateful. Death took everyone from me when my forest burned. But now… now that I’ve met you… Maybe. Possibly? Perhaps… We can get them all back. I can help you. We can be brave together! Who better than to face Death, than a human who’s already dead?” “I said that? Right, I said that…”, I mumbled, confused. I’m sure I never said anything regarding this. Ahri was convinced I wasn’t dead and neither did I feel like one of the other souls.

“Yes, be a little silly”, she giggled. “You’ll need a singing heart for the trial to come. Are you ready to face that… that fiend called Death?!”, Lillia asked, her voice getting a bit louder with every word. Ahri didn’t like Thresh, but she accepted him as part of the working system of the spirit realm - why did she not accept Death as well? Was Lillia so different, or was it Ahri? It was no use to think about it now. I saw Lillia’s pain, heard her fear and felt the scar of the forest myself. I would stay to help. She squeaked: “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be cross.”

“We all face death at some point. Sometimes multiple points”, was all I could say. I wasn’t sure how she would react if she knew I wasn’t really dead. “if it helps, human…”, Lillia said, walking to one of the trees and gently touching it. One of the branches fell off, without harming the tree and landed without sound in her hands. “... take this. It is a branch of the charred trees, with buds still yet to bloom. They told me to give it to you. You can hit things with it. Or poke them. Or… keep them from getting close.” Did I need to keep Death away from me? I still had no idea of who I was in the mortal realm, but something deep within me was sure Death would never kill me - unless I refused to go when my time came. And my time wasn’t over yet. I took a deep breath, smelling the sweetness of fumes of the censer. Lillia was closer than I thought. It was calming, though until this moment I wasn’t even aware of my concerns. Lillia took a step to the side, pointing to a little pond a bit away. “This pool of water will take you to Death, when you’re ready. The souls here… please. They need to be released. You have to be brave, human. Be brave for me, and face Death itself”, Lillia said, waving with her Staff. The smoke danced around me.

I wanted to say something, I felt words come out of my mouth. But they just vanished, together with the smoke, the view and the sounds of the forest.

I emerged from the pool, onto a strange mountain. Dark clouds in the distance. Have I been here before?

A soft voice came from behind me: “Is that bud for me?” I slowly turned around. A little girl, her face hidden behind a mask. And a giant… cloud? My eyes followed the form and found the grin of a wolf. It had marks and details on the head, just like Ahri in her fox-form. They moved, and seemed red like rose petals. “The human has a branch for Wolf, they do”, the Wolf said, his mouth not moving. His voice was deep, resonating within me. As if he was directly in my head and everywhere around me. I deepened the grip on my little branch - he could sense my fear, for sure. The grin got wider, more teeth showing. “Throw the branch. Throw it for Wolf”, he demanded. “You don’t have hands, silly Wolf”, the girl giggled, “It can’t be for you.” “Wolf would like to fetch the branch very much. Throw the branch for Wolf”, he demanded again, ignoring what the girl had said. She sighed, shaking her head. “You’ll never get anywhere with him like this. Here, let me put that away…” The branch was simply gone, no longer in my hand and nowhere else to be found. The comfort it gave me went with it. The big grin immediately changed into a sad face, the ears almost vanishing. “Where did the branch go? Wolf cannot see it, so it must be gone from this World”, he howled, clearly sad. I still wasn’t sure if I felt unease, fear or something else. But his voice in my head didn’t bother me at all. The girl sighed, clearly used to this kind of behaviour. 

“We are Death. The two of us. I whisk away those who accept the end.” - “Wolf bites, Wolf tears.” - “And then our job is done. What brings you here, human?”

This little girl was Death? Her choice of words, her posture, her attitude and her companion - I believed every word she spoke. She smiled, as if she knew my thoughts. “We know why you’ve come”, she explained, smiling. “The Fawn sent you to us, yes she did”, giggled the Wolf, but without any ill intent behind his words. He was a weird character, but I started to like him. “Wolf tastes ash, and flowers. We took the souls, true.” - “Ate them up, Wolf did.” They talked as if they tasted not just the cause of death, but also the pain. The moment souls came to them, they understood every part of it’s being and took them into the spirit realm.

“But the fox has guided them all since… hm… Ah, I see. It’s her. The fawn is the one who’s trapped. The memories of the people she loved… they’re all she has left since her forest was destroyed. She clings to them. Holds onto what she lost… She has fallen into obsession. A sad fate for a spirit, but not uncommon. Those lost souls are still in her dreams. But that resides in yours?”, the Girl explained, her voice sounding calm. Full of understanding. The fox - Ahri. A warm feeling flashed into my heart, but went away as quickly as it came. But why did she ask about my dreams? Did I dream? Did I even sleep in this realm? “Here,”, the Girl said, interrupting my thoughts, “take this branch back to her. Maybe then she’ll see…” As soon as she finished talking, the branch reappeared in my hand. The face of Wolf lit up immediately, his grin returning. “The stick. It has returned to Wolf after all these long years.” This time, the Girl ignored him. “What will you see when you open your eyes? It’s not too late. You can save her. Now run!”, she asked. Though the last words mixing with the voice of Wolf - as if both had said them, directly in my mind. I turned around and didn’t look back.

* * *

I returned to the charred forest, completely out of breath. How long did I run? I turned around and nowhere could I spot the mountain.

Lillia was on the clearing, pathing from one side to another, rambling. With panic in her voice. “Lost… they’re all lost. All of them are lost… Can’t I save them? Isn’t there something…someone...anything…” The moment one of my feet touched the grass of the clearing, her head shot up and she focused my face. “Human! You’ve returned! But… Why are the souls still trapped?”, she asked, taking a slight step backwards. She was scared. Did she see me as the bringer of another Death? I took a deep breath before saying what formed in my mind: “The only one trapped here… is you.”

“All alone… No. That can’t be true. You can’t hear them like I can. You don’t know them like… like I did. Beneath the bark, in the tree. I hear their voices”, Lillia cried out, touching one of the trees as if seeking comfort. “I hear the whispers of a girl. She’s proud, she lost a tooth! She wants to show her grandmother. She’s running through the forest when… There’s so much smoke. She… falls asleep. And then the dreams stop. And this one…”, she explained, tears falling down into the grass, “I hear the whispers of an old man, who always left an offering at my shrine, and asked to become a crane. To eat fish, even without teeth. He’s alone in his hut when… there’s fire, and shouting… then the dreams stop. The birds, and the people, and the water in the streams… Hearing them laugh… being there when they cried… catching their tears with my grass… hugging them with the sun… singing to them, in scents on the evening breeze…” Her crying became louder, she broke down into the grass. More tears. Her crying became louder, she screamed. “I was the forest, and they were my children. Loving them made me bloom. Now… It’s so quiet, I can only hear their dreams. And they can’t hear me”, she whispered, letting her staff go. It rolled into the dead grass, spilling the smoke and covering the ground in it. Lillia stopped crying, rubbed her eyes. “Do I… give you that feeling? Do you bloom when I’m near?”, she asked, hoping for… something.

Ahri freed me of forgetting, Lillia… she freed me from the fear. Because of her, I talked with Death. And before, I saw the nightmares. I heard the screams. And still, there was peace in me. As if every bad dream I ever had did not have any meaning anymore. I smiled.

“You do.” - ”Don’t say, don’t say!”

She refused to see, refused to let go. What she taught me, she couldn’t do herself. “Lillia, the other souls have moved on”, I said, picking up her staff and holding out my hand.

“My nightmares..? Eep…”, she whispered, stood up with my help and took the staff back. But she still had no smile on her face. I missed it. “No. You wouldn't understand. You’re dead, “, Lillia said, but without any meaning to harm or hurt me behind the words, “You can’t hear them the way I do. You don’t even dream. They dream. Everything around me, all of them are dead. They’re always dreaming, crying out. And I know I can save them! I just have to share in their pain… Right? … How could I be sleeping?” Lillia’s voice sounded full of pain and guilt. Every second she didn’t suffer with them, she felt guilty - I could see it now. “Death said you’re obsessed”, I said, colder than I wanted. She flinched.

“Obsession? No, you mean like all those lost souls? I’m not obsessed! What if… You’re the one who’s asleep? If so.. the only question is what you want. If Death is right, and I dream of the people I lost, then you… You… Eep!”, Lillia rambled again. Suddenly I was the one sleeping? What did I want? I wanted to go back… at the beginning. But Ahri… What did I want? “Human! Your branch!”, Lillia exclaimed, excitement in her voice.

The branch writhed in my hands, as if it were alive. Awakened by my desires. The bud on the end started to pull me in a direction, back into the forest. With every step I took, the petals began to bloom faster. I couldn't help but start running, closely followed by Lillia.

“Human. Y-you’re blooming! Not just the flower. You…”, she shouted, laughing. She was right. The wind followed me, danced around my body and took the petals with it. Not just the ones from the branch, but also the ones falling out of my skin. It didn’t hurt, it was… as if I was a flower myself.

Eventually, we reached the outskirts of the forest once again. On the ground was a familiar figure, slumped down and peacefully sleeping, sitting right underneath one of the trees. And still wearing familiar clothes. “That’s you… but… you’re sleeping…”, Lillia said, slightly confused. Her voice sounded so far away. I turned around to her, but she already faded away. The world started to blur, gliding through my mind, the petals sliding through my fingers. The real dream would begin now.

* * *

Am I asleep? Or am I… dead? I heard something, far away. It got louder. Did it come closer? The voice seemed familiar and so did the words...

“Are you-are you alive?! I understand wanting to hide. Sometimes behind trees… sometimes ribbons and silk… Everyone in my forest… They won’t stop dreaming… Who better to face Death, than a human who’s already dead? When the living dream, spirits awake… When the living dream. Spirits awake. Awake. Wake up. Up. Wake. Awake!”

“Human, are you awake?”, a familiar voice asked. A gentle touch on my shoulder. “I think so…”, I grunted, had trouble getting up. The light blinded me for a few moments, but soon I found myself back onto the first clearing - in the middle a giant Birch tree with golden leaves. “When you know so, you should try standing up. The world beckons. Isn’t it beautiful? D-don’t tell it I said that…”, Lillia giggled, prancing around me and enjoying the Sun. Birds sang, the wind rustled through the leaves of the trees. “What happened?”, I asked, finally standing up. She squeaked and immediately blushed. Stumbling over her own words, Lillia explained: “You finally woke up! I was so afraid when I first saw you, that I maybe, possibly, perhaps… put you to sleep. With this!” She pointed at her staff, smiling. The attached censer swayed, releasing sinuous smoke.

“At least that’s what I dreamed. But what you dreamed… Do you remember it?”, Lillia asked, showing honest curiosity. The spirit realm was confusing. I was sleeping next to her forest and my dream got caught up with the others. She saw it, got caught up herself. “I was trying to get home…”, I whispered. But was I? Ahri said I needed to return, but did I really want to? I wasn’t so sure anymore. Lillia tilted her head slightly. “Instead of finding your home… You helped me restore mine. And when you woke up… I found you. Do you want to see it? Your dream?”, she asked, though I didn’t quite understand what she offered me with that. But my answer was honest: “More than anything.”

“Just remember to prance with all four legs! See?”, she shouted, dancing around me, laughing. It seemed as if the wind had taken all the pain and cleansed the forest. The soul of the forest returned, together with the Sun and love. “Your dream planted a seed and grew into this”, Lillia explained and put her hand on the tree that now stood in the middle of the clearing. The crown high in the sky, touching the wind above and the leaves dancing. “Just like… mine did. It was true… When the people and things I loved were torn away, I held onto them in my dreams, as tightly as I held my staff. But the tighter I held, the more they twisted into nightmares. As painful as it was to let go… I knew I had to. For their sake, and mine. That’s what you showed me, human. You showed me your deepest desire, even if you don’t know it. Your dream. I was so trapped in mine. I couldn’t see…”, she rambled nervously, tearing up a bit. So many words for a simple thank you. “... dreams are so beautiful! All the people I missed, visiting me each night… I was broken by the emptiness of my forest. But through your eyes, I could see it was always full. Full of the memories of those I loved. You dreamed me awake, human, You dreamed of helping me.” 

“We dreamed of helping each other”, I answered, smiling. I helped Ahri, I helped Lillia. It made me happy - and as long as I didn’t know how to return, I would enjoy my time in this realm. Lillia giggled and put her hand on my shoulder. “I’m glad I could meet you, human. Wherever you go now, I’m sure we’ll meet again. In our dreams”, Lillia said, smiling softly. Her hand left my shoulder and she started to walk off the clearing. I whispered: “Thank you for helping me bloom.” I was certain she had heard it.

We both rushed into opposite directions and for a while I wasn’t sure if I was fleeing from something.... Or remembering how to prance.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there, some of you might remember the old Summary of this work! I no longer plan on writing smut, sorry!


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